Michael Chopra fired back at Steve Bruce after the Newcastle United boss slammed the former Magpies forward for his comments.
Bruce took a moment in his press conference on Friday to claim that Chopra was speaking nonsense after telling talkSPORT that a number of Magpies players had told him that they didn’t know their roles under the current manager.
“The Chopra thing (when the striker suggested people didn’t know their jobs) was blown out of all proportion,” said the Magpies boss, as quoted by the Chronicle.
“Some of this stuff out there is just nonsense, blatant lies. Some of the criticism has been relentless but I’ll protect the players and keep my dignity.”
Chopra responded to Bruce’s remarks, via his personal Twitter account, and accused the Magpies boss of being a liar as well as arguing that he is entitled to his opinion.
https://twitter.com/MichaelChopra/status/1165185653174362112?s=20
https://twitter.com/MichaelChopra/status/1165185748053762048?s=20
“After reading SB comments about me I would just like to make him aware that I have played more than 20 times and scored on more than one occasion for my boyhood club, so now HE is now telling lies. Also the so called tactics you are working on 1/2,” wrote the former Magpies forward.
“Seem to be working according to the stats. I’m a lifelong football fan of my boyhood club which makes it my right to have an opinion along with the rest of the geordies out there! 2/2”
OPINION
As pointless arguments go, Chopra and Bruce’s spat in the media is up there. It was odd to see Bruce take the time to address Chopra’s interview on talkSPORT as it really wasn’t worth his time. If the Magpies boss knows that his players are aware of their roles, why bother talking about the ex-Magpies forward? Chopra at this point just seems to be feeding off the attention and he’s not exactly helping the club. In fact Chopra should have let Bruce’s comments just roll off his back, rather than go on the attack again. Also while Chopra would like to make Bruce aware that his record for the Magpies is better than the boss implied, it’s still not a record that’s worth bragging about. The 35-year-old managed only three goals in 30 outings, as per Transfermarkt, for his boyhood club so he could hardly call his time at St James Park a success. While Chopra rightly takes pride in having appeared for his boyhood club, does he not think Bruce feels the same way in regards to managing the Magpies, given that is a local lad.
